Gasification reactor and its use

ABSTRACT

A gasification reactor comprising a pressure shell for maintaining a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; a slag bath located in a lower part of the pressure shell; and a gasifier wall arranged inside the pressure shell, and its use. The gasifier wall defines a gasification chamber wherein during operation a synthesis gas can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with the slag bath and an open upper end of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with a quench zone. The quench zone comprises a tubular formed part positioned within the pressure shell, open at its lower and upper end and having a smaller diameter than the pressure shell thereby defining an annular space around the tubular part. The lower open end of the tubular formed part is fluidly connected to the upper end of the gasifier wall and the upper open end of the tubular formed part is in fluid communication with the annular space. At the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium and wherein in the annular space injecting means are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein an outlet for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell fluidly connected to said annular space.

CROSS REFERENCE TO EARLIER APPLICATION

The present application is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/416,432 filed 2 May 2006, incorporated herein by reference. The present application also claims priority under 35 USC § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional application No. 60/865,137 filed 9 Nov. 2006, incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the present invention relate to an improved gasification reactor and systems for preparing a mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen from a carbonaceous stream using an oxygen containing stream.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a process of preparing a mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Such a process may be performed in said reactor and in said system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Methods for producing synthesis gas are well known from practice. An example of a method for producing synthesis gas is described in EP-A-400740. Generally, a carbonaceous stream such as coal, brown coal, peat, wood, coke, soot, or other gaseous, liquid or solid fuel or mixture thereof, is partially combusted in a gasification reactor using an oxygen containing gas such as substantially pure oxygen or (optionally oxygen enriched) air or the like, thereby obtaining a.o. synthesis gas (CO and H₂), CO₂ and a slag. The slag formed during the partial combustion drops down and is drained through an outlet located at or near the reactor bottom.

The hot product gas in the reactor of EP-A-400740 flows upwardly. This hot product gas, i.e. raw synthesis gas, usually contains sticky particles that lose their stickiness upon cooling. These sticky particles in the raw synthesis gas may cause problems downstream of the gasification reactor where the raw synthesis gas is further processed. Undesirable deposits of the sticky particles on, for example, walls, valves or outlets may adversely affect the process. Moreover such deposits are hard to remove.

Therefore, the raw synthesis gas is quenched in a quench section. In such a quench section a quench gas is injected into the upwardly moving raw synthesis gas in order to cool it.

EP-A-662506 describes a process to cool synthesis gas by injecting downwardly a cooling gas into said hot synthesis gas at the interface of a combustion chamber and a tubular part fluidly connected to the top of the combustion chamber.

A similar reactor as in EP-A-400740 is described in WO-A-2004/005438 of the same applicant. This publication describes a gasification combustion chamber and a tubular part fluidly connected to an open upper end of said combustion chamber. Both combustion chamber and tubular part are located in a pressure shell defining an annular space between said pressure shell and the combustion chamber and tubular part respectively. According to this publication, measures are required to avoid dust laden raw synthesis gas as prepared in the combustion chamber to enter the annular space. This publication also describes a syngas cooler having three heat exchanging surfaces located one above the other as present in a separate pressure vessel.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,937 describes a gasification reactor and a syngas cooler within one pressure vessel. In this reactor a tubular part is fluidly connected to an open upper end of a combustion chamber, both located within a pressure shell. At the upper end of the tubular part the gas is deflected 180° to flow downwardly through the annular space between the tubular part and the wall of the pressure shell. In said annular space heat exchanging surfaces are present to cool the hot gas.

The afore discussed gasification reactors have in common that the synthesis gas as produced flows substantially upwards and the slag flows substantially downwards relative to the gasification burners as present in said reactors. Thus, all these reactors have an outlet for slag, which is separate from the outlet for synthesis gas. This in contrast to a class of gasification reactors as for example described in EP-A-926441 where both slag and synthesis gas flow downwardly and wherein both the outlet for slag and synthesis gas are located at the lower end of the reactor.

The present invention is directed to an improved reactor of the type where slag and synthesis gas are separately discharged from said reactor as in e.g. WO-A-2004/005438 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,937. A problem with the syngas cooler of WO-A-2004/005438 and also with the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,937 is that the heat exchanging surfaces introduce a large complexity to the design of said apparatuses. Another problem with the syngas cooler of WO-A-2004/005438 and also with the apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,937 is that the heat exchanging surfaces are vulnerable to fouling from feedstocks with for instance a high alkaline content. There is thus a desire to process high alkaline feedstocks as well as a desire to provide more simple gasification reactors. These and other objects are achieved with the reactor as described below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a gasification reactor and systems for preparing a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

The gasification reactor comprises:

-   -   a pressure shell for maintaining a pressure higher than         atmospheric pressure;     -   a slag bath located in a lower part of the pressure shell;     -   a gasifier wall arranged inside the pressure shell defining a         gasification chamber wherein during operation the synthesis gas         can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier wall which is         in fluid communication with the slag bath and an open upper end         of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with a         quench zone;     -   a quench zone comprising a tubular formed part positioned within         the pressure shell, open at its lower and upper end and having a         smaller diameter than the pressure shell thereby defining an         annular space around the tubular part, wherein the lower open         end of the tubular formed part is fluidly connected to the upper         end of the gasifier wall and the upper open end of the tubular         formed part is in fluid communication with the annular space;     -   wherein at the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are         present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium and         wherein in the annular space injecting means are present to         inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein an outlet for         synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell         fluidly connected to said annular space.

Applicants found that by using such a gasification reactor, the use of complicated heat exchange surfaces could be avoided and high alkaline and high chlorine containing feedstocks could be processed. Other advantages and preferred embodiments will be discussed hereafter.

The invention is also directed to the following systems for preparing a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen comprising of gasification reactor as described above.

In one such system, the outlet for synthesis gas is fluidly connected to an inlet of a wet gas scrubber and wherein the wet gas scrubber is provided with an outlet for purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

The above system is advantageous because a dry solid removal process step can be omitted and the overall system can be made more simple.

In another such system, the outlet for synthesis gas is fluidly connected to an inlet of the dry solids removal unit and wherein an inlet of the wet gas scrubber is fluidly connected to the gas outlet of the dry solids removal unit and wherein the wet gas scrubber is provided for an outlet for purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

According to another aspect, the invention further provides a process to prepare a mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of a solid carbonaceous feed in a gasification reactor according to the present invention or in a system according to the present invention. In such a process a solid carbonaceous feed is partially oxidized in the gasification chamber with an oxygen comprising gas to form an upwardly moving gas mixture having a temperature of between 1200 and 1800° C. preferably between 1400 and 1800° C. This mixture is first cooled in the tubular part to a temperature of between 500 and 900° C. and subsequently further cooled in the annular part to below 500° C. by injecting a mist of liquid droplets into the gas flow.

It has been found that the raw synthesis gas is cooled very efficiently, as a result of which the risk of deposits of sticky particles downstream of the gasification reactor is reduced.

The invention will now be described by way of example in more detail, with reference to the accompanying non-limiting drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a process scheme for a system for preparing a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen;

FIG. 2 schematically shows a process scheme for a system for preparing a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen;

FIG. 3 schematically shows a longitudinal cross-section of a preferred gasification reactor; and

FIG. 4 schematically shows a more detailed longitudinal cross section of a gasification reactor.

The same reference numbers are used below to refer to similar structural elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is an improved gasification reactor and systems for preparing a synthesis gas comprising CO, CO₂ and H₂ from a carbonaceous stream using an oxygen containing stream.

The gasification reactor according to the present invention is suitably used to prepare a mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of a solid carbonaceous feed in a gasification reactor according to the present invention or in a system according to the present invention. In such a process a solid carbonaceous feed is partially oxidized in the gasification chamber with an oxygen comprising gas to form an upwardly moving gas mixture having a temperature of between 1200 and 1800° C. preferably between 1400 and 1800° C. This mixture is cooled, in a first cooling step, in the tubular part to a temperature of between 500 and 900° C. and subsequently further cooled, in a second cooling step, in the annular part to below 500° C. by injecting a mist of liquid droplets into the gas flow.

The solid carbonaceous feed is partially oxidized with an oxygen comprising gas. Preferred carbonaceous feeds are solid, high carbon containing feedstocks, more preferably it is substantially (i.e. >90 wt. %) comprised of naturally occurring coal or synthetic (petroleum)cokes, most preferably coal. Suitable coals include lignite, bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, anthracite coal, and brown coal.

In general, this so-called gasification is carried out by partially combusting the carbonaceous feed with a limited volume of oxygen at an elevated temperature in the absence of a catalyst. In order to achieve a more rapid and complete gasification, initial pulverisation of the coal is preferred to form fine coal particulates. The term fine particulates is intended to include at least pulverized particulates having a particle size distribution so that at least about 90% by weight of the material is less than 90 μm and moisture content is typically between 2 and 8% by weight, and preferably less than about 5% by weight.

The gasification is preferably carried out in the presence of oxygen and optionally some steam, the purity of the oxygen preferably being at least 90% by volume, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and argon being permissible as impurities. Substantially pure oxygen is preferred, such as prepared by an air separation unit (ASU).

If the water content of the carbonaceous feed, as can be the case when coal is used, is too high, the feed is preferably dried before use. The oxygen used is preferably heated before being contacted with the coal, preferably to a temperature of from about 200 to 500° C.

The partial oxidation reaction is preferably performed by combustion of a dry mixture of fine particulates of the carbonaceous feed and a carrier gas with oxygen in a suitable burner as present in the gasification chamber of the reactor according to the invention. Examples of suitable burners are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,888,7962, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,529 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,874. The gasification chamber is preferably provided with one or more pairs of partial oxidation burners, wherein said burners are provided with supply means for a solid carbonaceous feed and supply means for oxygen. With a pair of burners is here meant two burners, which are directed diametric into the gasification chamber. This results in a pair of two burners in a substantially opposite direction at the same horizontal position. The firing direction of the burners may be slightly tangential as for example described in EP-A-400740.

Examples of suitable carrier gasses to transport the dry and solid feed to the burners are steam, nitrogen, synthesis gas and carbon dioxide. Preferably nitrogen is used when the synthesis gas is used for power generation and as feedstock to make ammonia. Carbon dioxide is preferably used when the synthesis gas is subjected to downstream shift reactions. The shifted synthesis gas may for example be used as feed gas to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis or to prepare hydrogen, methanol and/or dimethyl ether.

The synthesis gas discharged from the gasification reactor comprises at least H₂, CO, and CO₂. The suitability of the synthesis gas composition for the methanol forming reaction is expressed as the stoichiometric number SN of the synthesis gas, whereby expressed in the molar contents [H₂], [CO], and [CO₂], SN=([H₂]-[CO₂])/([CO]+[CO₂]). It has been found that the stoichiometric number of the synthesis gas produced by gasification of the carbonaceous feed is lower than the desired ratio of about 2.05 for forming methanol in the methanol forming reaction. By performing a water shift reaction and separating part of the carbon dioxide the SN number can be improved. Preferably hydrogen separated from methanol synthesis offgas can be added to the synthesis gas to increase the SN.

In one embodiment of the present invention the raw synthesis gas is cooled in the first cooling step in the tubular part to a temperature below the solidification temperature of the non-gaseous components before performing the second cooling step. The solidification temperature of the non-gaseous components in the raw synthesis gas will depend on the carbonaceous feed and is usually between 600 and 1200° C. and more especially between 500 and 1000° C., for coal type feedstocks. The first cooling step in the tubular part may be performed by injecting a quench gas. Cooling with a gas quench is well known and described in for example EP-A-416242, EP-A-662506 and WO-A-2004/005438. Examples of suitable quench gases are recycle synthesis gas and steam. More preferably this first cooling is performed by injecting a mist of liquid droplets into the gas flow as will be described in more detail below. The use of the liquid mist as compared to a gas quench is advantageous because of the larger cooling capacity of the mist. The liquid may be any liquid having a suitable viscosity in order to be atomized. Non-limiting examples of the liquid to be injected are a hydrocarbon liquid, a waste stream etc. Preferably the liquid comprises at least 50% water. Most preferably the liquid is substantially comprised of water (i.e. >95 vol %). In a preferred embodiment the wastewater, also referred to as black water, as obtained in a possible downstream synthesis gas scrubber is used as the liquid. Even more preferably, the process condensate of an optional downstream water shift reactor is used as the liquid.

With the term ‘raw synthesis gas’ is meant the gas mixture as directly obtained in the gasification reactor. This product stream may—and usually will—be further processed, for example in a dry solids removal system, wet gas scrubber and/or a shift converter.

With the term ‘mist’ is meant that the liquid is injected in the form of small droplets. If water is to be used as the liquid, then preferably more than 80%, more preferably more than 90%, of the water is in the liquid state.

Preferably the injected mist has a temperature of at most 50° C. below the bubble point at the prevailing pressure conditions at the point of injection, particularly at most 15° C., even more preferably at most 10° C. below the bubble point. To this end, if the injected liquid is water, it usually has a temperature of above 90° C., preferably above 150° C., more preferably from 200° C. to 230° C. The temperature will obviously depend on the operating pressure of the gasification reactor, i.e. the pressure of the raw synthesis gas specified further below. Hereby a rapid vaporization of the injected mist is obtained, while cold spots are avoided. As a result the risk of ammonium chloride deposits and local attraction of ashes in the gasification reactor is reduced.

Further it is preferred that the mist comprises droplets having a diameter of from 50 to 200 μm, preferably from 100 to 150 μm. Preferably, at least 80 vol. % of the injected liquid is in the form of droplets having the indicated sizes.

To enhance quenching of the raw synthesis gas, the mist is preferably injected with a velocity of 30-90 m/s, preferably 40-60 m/s.

Also it is preferred that the mist is injected with an injection pressure of at least 10 bar above the pressure of the raw synthesis gas as present in the gasification reactor, preferably from 20 to 60 bar, more preferably about 40 bar, above the pressure of the raw synthesis gas. If the mist is injected with an injection pressure of below 10 bar above the pressure of the raw synthesis gas, the droplets of the mist may become too large. The latter may be at least partially offset by using an atomization gas, which may e.g. be N₂, CO₂, steam or synthesis gas, more preferably steam or synthesis gas. Using atomization gas has the additional advantage that the difference between injection pressure and the pressure of the raw synthesis gas may be reduced to a pressure difference of between 5 and 20 bar.

Further it has been found especially suitable when the mist is injected in a direction away from the gasification reactor, or said otherwise when the mist is injected in the flow direction of the raw synthesis gas. Thus preferably the mist is injected in a partially upward direction when applied in the tubular part or in a downwardly direction when applied in the annular space. Hereby no or less dead spaces occur which might result in local deposits on the wall of the annular space and the tubular formed part of the quenching section. Preferably the mist is injected under an angle of between 30-60°, more preferably about 45°, with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular part. In the annular part the mist is preferably directed in a vertical downwardly direction.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the injected mist is at least partially surrounded by a shielding fluid. Herewith the risk of forming local deposits is reduced. The shielding fluid may be any suitable fluid, but is preferably selected from the group consisting of an inert gas such as N₂ and CO₂, synthesis gas, steam and a combination thereof.

According to an especially preferred embodiment, the amount of injected mist is selected such that the raw synthesis gas leaving the quenching sections comprises at least 40 vol. % H₂O, preferably from 40 to 60 vol. % H₂O, more preferably from 45 to 55 vol. % H₂O.

In another preferred embodiment, the amount of water added relative to the raw synthesis gas is even higher than the preferred ranges above if one chooses to perform a so-called overquench. In an overquench type process the amount of water added, preferably the amount added in the annular space, is such that not all liquid water will evaporate and some liquid water will remain in the cooled raw synthesis gas. Such a process is advantageous because a downstream dry solid removal system can be omitted. In such a process the raw synthesis gas leaving the gasification reactor is saturated with water. The weight ratio of the raw synthesis gas and water injection can be 1:1 to 1:4.

It has been found that herewith the capital costs can be substantially lowered, as no further or significantly less addition of steam in an optional downstream water shift conversion step is necessary. With capital costs is here meant the capital costs for steam boilers which are required to generate steam needed to be injected into the feed to the water shift conversion step. It has been further found that by omitting the dry solid removal system the capital costs can be substantially lowered as well. The dry solid removal system can be omitted in the overquench operation. The dry solids removal system can also be omitted in a process embodiment wherein the synthesis gas temperature at the outlet of the reactor downstream of the annular space is below 500° C.

In a preferred method of the present invention, the raw synthesis gas, and especially the synthesis gas as saturated with water, leaving the quenching section is preferably shift converted whereby at least a part of the water is reacted with CO to produce CO₂ and H₂ thereby obtaining a shift converted synthesis gas stream. As the person skilled in the art will readily understand what is meant with a shift converter, this is not further discussed. Preferably, before shift converting the raw synthesis gas, the raw synthesis gas is heated in a heat exchanger against the shift converted synthesis gas stream. Herewith the energy consumption of the method is further reduced. In this respect it is also preferred that the liquid is heated before using the liquid injecting it as a mist in the process of the present invention. Preferably heating of this liquid is performed by indirect heat exchange against the shift converted synthesis gas stream.

Any desired molar ratio of H₂/CO may be obtained by subjecting one part of the synthesis gas to a water shift reaction obtaining a CO depleted stream and by-passing the water shift unit with another part of the synthesis gas and combining the CO depleted stream and the by-pass stream. By choosing the ratio of by-pass and shift feed one may achieve most desired ratios for the preferred downstream processes.

Reference is made to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 schematically shows a system 1 for producing synthesis gas. In a gasification reactor 2 a carbonaceous stream and an oxygen-containing stream may be fed via lines 3, 4, respectively to a gasification reactor 2. In gasification reactor 2 a raw synthesis gas and a slag is obtained. To this end usually several burners (not shown) are present in the gasification reactor 2. Usually, the partial oxidation in the gasification reactor 2 is carried out at a temperature in the range from 1200 to 1800° C., preferably between 1400 and 1800° C. and at a pressure in the range from 1 to 200 bar, preferably between 20 and 100 bar, more preferably between 40 and 70 bar.

The ash components as are present in most of the preferred feeds will form a so-called liquid slag at these temperatures. The slag will preferably form a layer on the inner side of the wall of reactor 2, thereby creating an isolation layer. The temperature conditions are so chosen that the slag will create on the one hand such a protective layer and on the other hand will still be able to flow to a lower positioned slag outlet 7 for optional further processing.

The produced raw synthesis gas is fed via line 5 to a quench zone in the form of a quenching section 6. Both the reactor 2 and the quenching section 6 are depicted inside a pressure shell 31. The raw synthesis gas in the quenching section 6 is typically cooled to below 500° C., for example to about 400° C. Liquid water is injected into the quenching section 6 via line 17, in the form of a mist, as will be further discussed in FIGS. 3 and 4 below.

The amount of mist to be injected in the quenching section 6 will depend on various conditions, including the desired temperature of the raw synthesis gas leaving the quenching section 6. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the amount of injected mist is selected such that the raw synthesis gas leaving the quenching section 6 has a H₂O content of from 45 to 55 vol. %.

As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, the raw synthesis gas leaving the quenching section 6 is further processed. To this end, it is fed via line 8 into a dry solids removal unit 9 to at least partially remove dry ash in the raw synthesis gas. Preferred dry solids removal units 9 are cyclones or filter units as for example described in EP-A-551951 and EP-A-1499418. Dry ash is removed form the dry solids removal unit via line 18.

After the dry solids removal unit 9 the raw synthesis gas may be fed via line 10 to a wet gas scrubber 11 and subsequently via line 12 to a shift converter 13 to react at least a part of the water with CO to produce CO₂ and H₂, thereby obtaining a shift converted gas stream in line 14. As the wet gas scrubber 11 and shift converter 13 are already known per se, they are not further discussed here in detail. Waste water from gas scrubber 11 is removed via line 22 and optionally partly recycled to the gas scrubber 11 via line 23. Part of the wastewater, black water, from gas scrubber 11 may be preferably used as liquid water as injected via line 17. This is advantageous because any solid compounds present in the black water will be removed from the process via the dry solids removal unit 9.

Further improvements are achieved when the raw synthesis gas in line 12 is heated in a heat exchanger 15 against the shift converted synthesis gas in line 14 that is leaving the shift converter 13.

Further it is preferred according to the present invention that energy contained in the stream of line 16 leaving heat exchanger 15 is used to warm up the water in line 17 to be injected in quenching section 6. To this end, the stream in line 16 may be fed to an indirect heat exchanger 19, for indirect heat exchange with the stream in line 17.

As shown in the embodiment in FIG. 1, the stream in line 14 is first fed to the heat exchanger 15 before entering the indirect heat exchanger 19 via line 16. However, the person skilled in the art will readily understand that the heat exchanger 15 may be dispensed with, if desired, or that the stream in line 14 is first fed to the indirect heat exchanger 19 before heat exchanging in heat exchanger 15.

The stream leaving the indirect heat exchanger 19 in line 20 may be further processed, if desired, for further heat recovery and gas treatment.

If desired the heated stream in line 17 may also be partly used as a feed (line 21) to the gas scrubber 11.

Reference is made to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 schematically shows a system 101 for producing synthesis gas similar to system 1 of FIG. 1. To avoid duplication only the differences between FIGS. 1 and 2 will be discussed in detail. Most of the process conditions and functions of the streams and process units are as in FIG. 1.

A carbonaceous stream and an oxygen containing stream are fed via lines 103, 104, respectively to a combustion chamber 102 provided inside a pressure shell 131 and thereby obtaining a raw synthesis gas and a slag.

As in FIG. 1, the produced raw synthesis gas is fed via line 105 to a quench zone in the form of quenching section 106, also positioned inside the pressure shell 131. To the quenching section 106 liquid water is injected via line 117 in the form of a mist, as will be further discussed in FIGS. 3 and 4 below.

The amount of mist to be injected in the quenching section 106 relative to the raw synthesis gas is higher than in the process of FIG. 1. In this overquench type process the amount of water added is such that not all liquid water will evaporate and some liquid water will remain in the cooled raw synthesis gas. Such a process is advantageous because a downstream dry solid removal system can be omitted as is shown in FIG. 2. The weight ratio of the raw synthesis gas and water injection can be 1:1 to 1:4.

As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the raw synthesis gas 109 leaving the quenching section 106 is further processed in wet gas scrubber 111 and subsequently via line 112 to a shift converter 113. Wastewater from gas scrubber 111 is removed via line 122 and optionally partly recycled to the gas scrubber 111 via line 123. Part of the wastewater, black water, from gas scrubber 111 may be preferably used as liquid water as injected via line 117. Raw synthesis gas in line 112 is heated in a heat exchanger 115 against the shift converted synthesis gas in line 114 that is leaving the shift converter 113. Stream in line 116 is fed to an indirect heat exchanger 119, for indirect heat exchange with the stream in line 117. As shown in the embodiment in FIG. 2, the stream in line 114 is first fed to the heat exchanger 115 before entering the indirect heat exchanger 119 via line 116. The stream leaving the indirect heat exchanger 119 in line 120 may be further processed, if desired, for further heat recovery and gas treatment. If desired the heated stream in line 117 may also be partly used as a feed (line 121) to the gas scrubber 111.

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal cross-section of a gasification reactor which may be used in the system 1 of FIG. 1 or in the system 101 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred gasification reactor comprising the following elements:

-   -   a pressure shell 31 for maintaining a pressure higher than         atmospheric pressure;     -   an outlet 25 for removing the slag, preferably by means of a         so-called slag bath, located in a lower part of the pressure         shell 31. The lower end of the reactor may suitably be designed         as described in WO-A-2005/052095. Slag may be removed from the         pressure shell 31 via slag bath 25 via a slag sluicing device as         for example described in US-B-6755980.;     -   a gasifier wall 32 arranged inside the pressure shell 31         defining a gasification chamber 33 wherein during operation the         synthesis gas can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier         wall 32 which is in fluid communication with the outlet for         removing slag 25. The open upper end 34 of the gasifier wall 32         is in fluid communication with a quench zone 35. The gasifier         wall 32 is cooled by a number of conduits through which water         and more preferably evaporating water flows. A suitable design         for such a cooled wall 32 is a so-called membrane wall. Membrane         walls comprise a number of parallel and interconnected tubes,         which together form a gas-tight body. The tubes are preferably         positioned in a vertical direction such that evaporating water         can be more easily used as the cooling medium.         -   a quench zone 35 comprising a tubular formed part 36             positioned within the pressure shell 31, open at its lower             and upper end and having a smaller diameter than the             pressure shell 31 thereby defining an annular space 37             around the tubular part 36.         -   The wall of the tubular part 36 is preferably cooled by a             number of conduits through which water and more preferably             evaporating water flows. A suitable design for such a cooled             wall is the membrane wall as described above. The annular             space 37 may have a varying width along the vertical length             on said space. Suitably, the width increases with the             direction of the gas flowing in said space 37. The lower             open end of the tubular formed part 36 is fluidly connected             to the upper end of the gasifier wall 32. The upper open end             of the tubular formed part 36 is in fluid communication with             the annular space 37 via deflector space 38.

At the lower end of the tubular part 36 injecting means 39 are present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium. Preferably the direction of said injections are as described earlier in case liquid mist injections are applied. In the annular space 37 injecting means 40 are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist, preferably in a downwardly direction, into the synthesis gas as it flows through said annular space 37. FIG. 2 further shows an outlet 41 for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell 31 fluidly connected to the lower end of said annular space 37. If Reactor 31 is used to prepare a water-saturated synthesis gas as illustrated in FIG. 2 a water bath (not shown) may be present in the lower end of the annular space 37. Alternatively the water-saturated synthesis gas is directly discharged from the annular space 37.

Preferably the quench zone is provided with cleaning means 42 and/or 43, which are preferably mechanical rappers, which by means of vibration avoids and/or removes solids accumulating on the surfaces of the tubular part and/or of the annular space respectively.

The advantages of the reactor according to FIG. 3 are its compactness in combination with its simple design. By cooling with the liquid in the form of a mist in the annular space additional cooling means in said part of the reactor can be omitted which makes the reactor more simple. Preferably both via injectors 39 and injectors 40 a liquid, preferably water, is injected in the form of a mist according to the method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a more detailed longitudinal cross-section of a gasification reactor 2 used in the system 1 of FIG. 1. The gasification reactor 2 has an inlet 3 for a carbonaceous stream and an inlet 4 for an oxygen containing gas.

One or several burners (schematically denoted at 26) are present in the gasification reactor 2 for performing the partial oxidation reaction. For reasons of simplicity, two burners 26 are shown here but a different number may be provided.

Further, the gasification reactor 2 comprises an outlet 25 for removing the slag formed during the partial oxidation reaction via line 7.

Also, the gasification reactor 2 comprises an outlet 27 for the raw synthesis gas produced, which outlet 27 is connected with the quenching section generally depicted at 6. The skilled person will readily understand that between the outlet 27 and the quenching section 6, some additional connecting tubing may be present such as depicted at 5 in FIG. 1. However, typically the quenching section 6 is directly connected to the gasification reactor 2, as shown in FIG. 4.

The quenching section 6 comprises a first injector 28 that is adapted for injecting a water containing stream in the form of a mist in a quenching section 6. The first injector 28 is connected to line 17. The person skilled in the art will readily understand how to select the first injector to obtain the desired mist. Also more than one first injector may be present.

The first injector injects the mist in a direction away from the gasification reactor, usually in a partially upward direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the first injector in use injects the mist in a direction away from the outlet 27 of the gasification reactor 2. To this end the centre line X of the mist injected by the first injector 28 forms an angle α of between 30-60°, preferably about 45°, with respect to the plane A-A perpendicular to the longitudinal axis B-B of the quenching section 6.

As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4, the quenching section 6 may further comprise a second injector 29 adapted for injecting a shielding fluid at least partially surrounding the mist injected by the at least one first injector 28. The second injector 29 is connected via line 30 to a source of shielding gas.

Also in this case the person skilled in the art will readily understand how to adapt the second injector to achieve the desired effect. For instance, the nozzle of the first injector may be partly surrounded by the nozzle of the second injector. As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4 the first injector 28 is to this end partly surrounded by second injector 29.

The quenching section 6, wherein the liquid mist is injected, may be situated above, below or next to the gasification reactor, provided that it is downstream of the gasification reactor 2. Preferably the quenching section 6 is placed above the gasification reactor 2; to this end the outlet of the gasification reactor 2 may be placed at the top of the gasification reactor.

FIG. 4 has been explained with explicit reference to the system as depicted in FIG. 1, but the person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the embodiment of FIG. 4 may be mutatis mutandis applied with reference to the system of FIG. 2.

The person skilled in the art will readily understand that the present invention may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope as defined in the claims. Features in each claim may be combined with features of any other claim. 

1. A gasification reactor comprising: a pressure shell for maintaining a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; a slag bath located in a lower part of the pressure shell; a gasifier wall arranged inside the pressure shell defining a gasification chamber wherein during operation the synthesis gas can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with the slag bath and an open upper end of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with a quench zone; a quench zone comprising a tubular formed part positioned within the pressure shell, open at its lower and upper end and having a smaller diameter than the pressure shell thereby defining an annular space around the tubular part, wherein the lower open end of the tubular formed part is fluidly connected to the upper end of the gasifier wall and the upper open end of the tubular formed part is in fluid communication with the annular space; wherein at the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium and wherein in the annular space injecting means are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein an outlet for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell fluidly connected to said annular space.
 2. The gasification reactor according to claim 1, wherein at the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are present for injecting a liquid cooling medium in the form of a mist.
 3. The gasification reactor according to claim 1, wherein in the annular space downwardly directed injecting means are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein the outlet for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell fluidly connected to the lower end of the annular space.
 4. The gasification reactor according to claim 1, wherein the gasification chamber is provided with one or more pairs of partial oxidation burners, wherein said burners are provided with supply means for a solid carbonaceous feed and supply means for oxygen.
 5. A system for preparing a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, comprising: a gasification reactor; a dry solids removal unit; and a wet gas scrubber; wherein the gasification reactor comprises: a pressure shell for maintaining a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; a slag bath located in a lower part of the pressure shell; a gasifier wall arranged inside the pressure shell defining a gasification chamber wherein during operation the synthesis gas can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with the slag bath and an open upper end of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with a quench zone; a quench zone comprising a tubular formed part positioned within the pressure shell, open at its lower and upper end and having a smaller diameter than the pressure shell thereby defining an annular space around the tubular part, wherein the lower open end of the tubular formed part is fluidly connected to the upper end of the gasifier wall and the upper open end of the tubular formed part is in fluid communication with the annular space; wherein at the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium and wherein in the annular space injecting means are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein an outlet for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell fluidly connected to said annular space; in which system the outlet for synthesis gas is fluidly connected to an inlet of the dry solids removal unit and wherein an inlet of the wet gas scrubber is fluidly connected to the gas outlet of the dry solids removal unit and wherein the wet gas scrubber is provided with an outlet for a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the outlet for the purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen of the wet gas scrubber is fluidly connected to an inlet of a shift converter, said shift converter also provided with an outlet for shifted gas.
 7. The system according to claim 6, wherein a heat exchanger is present in which gas from the wet gas scrubber is increased in temperature against shifted gas as obtained in the shift converter.
 8. A system for preparing a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen, comprising: a gasification reactor; and a wet gas scrubber; wherein the gasification reactor comprises: a pressure shell for maintaining a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; a slag bath located in a lower part of the pressure shell; a gasifier wall arranged inside the pressure shell defining a gasification chamber wherein during operation the synthesis gas can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with the slag bath and an open upper end of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with a quench zone; a quench zone comprising a tubular formed part positioned within the pressure shell, open at its lower and upper end and having a smaller diameter than the pressure shell thereby defining an annular space around the tubular part, wherein the lower open end of the tubular formed part is fluidly connected to the upper end of the gasifier wall and the upper open end of the tubular formed part is in fluid communication with the annular space; wherein at the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium and wherein in the annular space injecting means are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein an outlet for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell fluidly connected to said annular space; in which system the outlet for synthesis gas is fluidly connected to an inlet of the wet gas scrubber and wherein the wet gas scrubber is provided with an outlet for a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
 9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the outlet for the purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen of the wet gas scrubber is fluidly connected to an inlet of a shift converter, said shift converter also provided with an outlet for shifted gas.
 10. The system according to claim 9, wherein a heat exchanger is present in which gas from the wet gas scrubber is increased in temperature against shifted gas as obtained in the shift converter.
 11. A process of preparing a mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of a solid carbonaceous feed in a gasification reactor, comprising providing a gasification reactor comprising: a pressure shell for maintaining a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; a slag bath located in a lower part of the pressure shell; a gasifier wall arranged inside the pressure shell defining a gasification chamber wherein during operation the synthesis gas can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with the slag bath and an open upper end of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with a quench zone; a quench zone comprising a tubular formed part positioned within the pressure shell, open at its lower and upper end and having a smaller diameter than the pressure shell thereby defining an annular space around the tubular part, wherein the lower open end of the tubular formed part is fluidly connected to the upper end of the gasifier wall and the upper open end of the tubular formed part is in fluid communication with the annular space; wherein at the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium and wherein in the annular space injecting means are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein an outlet for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell fluidly connected to said annular space; partially oxidizing the solid carbonaceous feed in the gasification chamber with an oxygen comprising gas to form an upwardly moving gas mixture having a temperature of between 1200 and 1800° C. and a pressure of between 20 and 100 bar; and cooling said gas mixture in the tubular part to a temperature of between 500 and 900° C. and subsequently further cooling the gas in the annular part to below 500° C. by injecting a mist of water droplets into the gas flow.
 12. The process according to claim 11, wherein said cooling in the tubular part is performed by injecting a mist of water droplets into the gas flow.
 13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the injected water mist has a temperature of above 150° C.
 14. The process according to claim 13, wherein the injected water mist has a temperature of at most 50° C. below the bubble point of water at the pressure of the upwardly moving gas mixture.
 15. The process according to claim 11, wherein the mist comprises droplets having a diameter of from 50 to 200 μm.
 16. The process according to claim 11, wherein the mist is injected at a velocity of between 30-100 m/s.
 17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the mist is injected at a velocity of between 40-60 m/s.
 18. The process according to claim 11, wherein the mist is injected using an atomising gas with an injection pressure between 5 and 20 bar above the pressure of the raw synthesis gas.
 19. The process according to claim 12, wherein the mist is injected under an angle of between 30-60° with respect to a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular part.
 20. The process according to claim 12, wherein the injected mist is at least partially surrounded by a shielding fluid.
 21. The process according to claim 20, wherein the shielding fluid is selected from the group consisting of an inert gas such as N₂ and CO₂, synthesis gas, steam and combinations thereof.
 22. A process of preparing a mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of a solid carbonaceous feed in a gasification reactor, comprising providing a system comprising: a gasification reactor; a dry solids removal unit; and a wet gas scrubber; wherein the gasification reactor comprises: a pressure shell for maintaining a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; a slag bath located in a lower part of the pressure shell; a gasifier wall arranged inside the pressure shell defining a gasification chamber wherein during operation a synthesis gas can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with the slag bath and an open upper end of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with a quench zone; a quench zone comprising a tubular formed part positioned within the pressure shell, open at its lower and upper end and having a smaller diameter than the pressure shell thereby defining an annular space around the tubular part, wherein the lower open end of the tubular formed part is fluidly connected to the upper end of the gasifier wall and the upper open end of the tubular formed part is in fluid communication with the annular space; wherein at the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium and wherein in the annular space injecting means are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein an outlet for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell fluidly connected to said annular space; in which system the outlet for synthesis gas is fluidly connected to an inlet of the dry solids removal unit and wherein an inlet of the wet gas scrubber is fluidly connected to the gas outlet of the dry solids removal unit and wherein the wet gas scrubber is provided with an outlet for a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen; partially oxidizing the solid carbonaceous feed in the gasification chamber with an oxygen comprising gas to form an upwardly moving gas mixture having a temperature of between 1200 and 1800° C. and a pressure of between 20 and 100 bar; and cooling said gas mixture in the tubular part to a temperature of between 500 and 900° C. and subsequently further cooling the gas in the annular part to below 500° C. by injecting a mist of water droplets into the gas flow.
 23. A process of preparing a mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen by partial oxidation of a solid carbonaceous feed in a gasification reactor, comprising providing a system comprising: a gasification reactor; and a wet gas scrubber; wherein the gasification reactor comprises: a pressure shell for maintaining a pressure higher than atmospheric pressure; a slag bath located in a lower part of the pressure shell; a gasifier wall arranged inside the pressure shell defining a gasification chamber wherein during operation a synthesis gas can be formed, a lower open part of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with the slag bath and an open upper end of the gasifier wall which is in fluid communication with a quench zone; a quench zone comprising a tubular formed part positioned within the pressure shell, open at its lower and upper end and having a smaller diameter than the pressure shell thereby defining an annular space around the tubular part, wherein the lower open end of the tubular formed part is fluidly connected to the upper end of the gasifier wall and the upper open end of the tubular formed part is in fluid communication with the annular space; wherein at the lower end of the tubular part injecting means are present for injecting a liquid or gaseous cooling medium and wherein in the annular space injecting means are present to inject a liquid in the form of a mist and wherein an outlet for synthesis gas is present in the wall of the pressure shell fluidly connected to said annular space; in which system the outlet for synthesis gas is fluidly connected to an inlet of the wet gas scrubber and wherein the wet gas scrubber is provided with an outlet for a purified mixture comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen; partially oxidizing the solid carbonaceous feed in the gasification chamber with an oxygen comprising gas to form an upwardly moving gas mixture having a temperature of between 1200 and 1800° C. and a pressure of between 20 and 100 bar; and cooling said gas mixture in the tubular part to a temperature of between 500 and 900° C. and subsequently further cooling the gas in the annular part to below 500° C. by injecting a mist of water droplets into the gas flow. 